I wanted to scape like this because I'll have more places to stick corals. I can remove any rocks in the future if necessary.

I'm planning to (eventually.. if and when I can source them) keep softies on the substrate, lps at the first level and sps at the top two levels... if with some luck I manage to keep them alive:D Let's see how it goes

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Coralines will cover over time..looks will change as well, but seeding with benifitial bacteria from lrs upto right level is important. So when you add the 2nd fish onward keep an eye on the ammo. Have to increase bio load slow and steady unlike fw.

Thanks & Regards..

Sourav..."If you want to do something in a better way, do it yourself !" --Nepoleon Bonaparte

xarg0n wrote:Coralines will cover over time..looks will change as well, but seeding with benifitial bacteria from lrs upto right level is important. So when you add the 2nd fish onward keep an eye on the ammo. Have to increase bio load slow and steady unlike fw.

I don't have the led unit ready yet.. might take a month.And I'll not be adding any livestock for at least 2 to 3 months to let the tank cycle. So I got plenty of time:D

Will install my ATS and get macro algae growing in my sump refugium soon. Will connect the 60g refugium tank to the system after a month or two.

I have all the patience in the world after dealing with my big tank;) Will stock very slowly.

I'm setting up a quarantine tank soon and am planning to get 3 to 4 fire fish as my first additions. (Still not sure if i can keep them in a group without them fighting to their deaths)

Planned stocking list (no idea if I'll be able to source all of these)

1 regal angel1 or more blue mandarin dragonet ( after 6 months or when a good pod population is established)4 firefish1 yellow tang1 powder blue tang1 kole/ bristletooth or any other smaller tang1 blue throat trigger1 blenny sp1 goby sp1 orchid dottyback (??compatible with firefish?)And a few other compatible small fish

No wrasses or dwarf angels as I don't want competition for the mandarins for food (pods)

First of all cycling will not start without life form, which you will add initially as live rocks(i will reccommend to add uncured smelling ones, as these will finally establish biggest colonies of bacteria). You cannot cycle a tank for 2 - 3 months. How long the cycle takes to complete depends on how much initial bio load was fed. Typically it takes 22 days .

Cycling means we are creating NO3 as the end product which is non toxic to livestock.

NH4>>NO2>>NO3>>N2↑

In an established tank nh4 , no2 gets created and converted to NO3 symultaneously. Bacteria that feed on nh4 and no2 are active.

After 22 days you will find only NO3 in water if you test. Means there will not be any more nh4 if you do not keep adding it.

This means after 22 days bacteria that feed on nh4 and no2 will start starving and will die off eventually.

After 2-3 months there the tank will become like brand new set up. Once you add livestock the cycling restarts. And those fishes will be in grave danger.

So the rule is you keep on testing for traces of ammo and no2 every week. The day you first detect both 0, add your first fish without any delay.

That way you keep on adding ammo and your bacteria colony survives. Add another fish say after 15 days or so etc.

Change your plan accordingly, cycling for abnormally long duration doesnt help mate. I have lost fishes in the initial days, as I thought longer the better.

Thanks & Regards..

Sourav..."If you want to do something in a better way, do it yourself !" --Nepoleon Bonaparte